New News Site on the Block: Alameda Patch

Patch is the hyper-local (and hyper-fast-growing) news service of AOL. Established in 2008 (it was a start-up before AOL bought it in June, 2009), Patch now has more than 100 sites in communities across the country and has pledged to establish a total o 500 by year’s end. [Update: Alameda Patch is the 135th Patch site launched.]

The editor of Alameda Patch is Eve Pearlman who, as many know, worked as a columnist first for The Alameda Journal and then for The Island. I hear she’s got some great stuff up her sleeve for this new venture.

Now, a couple of people have asked me recently how I feel having another news site come on line in Alameda and I just want everyone to know, I’m cool with it. I mean, there’s plenty of room for more writers in Alameda and there’s plenty of stuff to cover here.

Just as long as Eve doesn’t cover city politics (including boards, task forces, and commissions), education, restaurants, shopping, fundraisers, events, interesting people, the weather, the meaning of life, the pursuit of happiness, development, the environment, anything having to do with water (including bridges, puddles, and the SF Bay), gardening, situations calling for righteous indignation, cars and trucks, movies, Alameda history, or dogs, I think we’ll be fine. And of course, I totally own the backyard chicken beat.

Think I’m kidding? I am! I am! Eve is actually my friend and I love to tease her. So what I really want to say is welcome (back) to the wild and woolly world of on-line news, Eve. Can’t wait to see what you create and I wish you all the best.